MEXICO CITY — Mexican officials are preparing evacuation routes and shelters for tens of
thousands of people who live in the shadow of Popocatepetl, a giant volcano 40 miles southeast of
Mexico City.

“Popo,” as the volcano is known, has displayed a “notable increase in activity levels” in the
last few days, including tremors and explosive eruptions, according to a statement from the federal
government.

Webcams have shown large chunks of molten rock spewing from the crater, and ash has rained down
on the nearby city of Puebla. On Sunday, Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention elevated
its warning level to “Yellow Phase 3,” the fifth stage of a seven-stage warning scale.

At the next stage, the government warns, “there is danger. You and your family should be ready
for evacuation.”

There have been moderate outbursts from Popo in recent years, forcing the government to evacuate
as many as 75,000 people at a time.